Sunday, October 7, 2012

We all use pro nouns in our daily communications, whether written or verbal. In that sentence alone I used three, there use being all quite quotidian. But for the person suffering from the socially/medically created Trans disorder, pro nouns leap off the page from their simplicity and become the embodiment of a full blown woman or man! Usually months and sometimes years before any medical brutality is applied, the trans victim will first switch their pro noun use for themselves and then insist all those around them do as they do where she's suddenly become he's and he's she's.

That the trans victim feels compelled, some times even with threats of violence and rage that their pro noun CHOICE be adhered to illustrates that their disorder goes beyond the medical communities definition of trans, i.e. someone suffering from gender/body dysphoria (GID), and rests firmly in lap misogyny. There is absolutely NO medical cure in the chronicle of medicine that requires a change in pro nouns to precede or accompany that medical cure.

A prime synonym of co-opt is neutralise, meaning to "get rid of (someone who may be a threat) by killing". When trans males co-opt female pro nouns, what they are in fact doing is trying to "kill" the biological nature of female by replacing her with their own patriarchal notions of her. Whenever trans females co-opt male pro nouns they are trying to "kill" their own biological female nature through written/verbal hocus-pocus. And whenever trans males and trans females demand or expect any of us to do the same, and we do, we become the accomplices in the historical systematic violence against women that is the heart, mind and spirit of patriarchy.

The brutal, savage violence against women has become so rote, so bloody common place in our society and those around the world that subtle violences we immediately dismiss. Patriarchy counts on those subtle dismissals because it is through our disregarding of them that makes the fist to the face, the hacked off healthy breast to be incinerated, the hard cock violently against our will shoved into an orifice, the stoning of us to death, the barbarous murder of us and/or our children possible.

55 comments:

But it's not violence against women when butch dykes refer to themselves as he, hy, him,and hym? What about dykes in the BDSM leather community who beat women for their pleasure? It's only violence when it's trans people. Got it! So, when leather dykes bind another womans breasts or sews up their pussy for their own pleasure, that's not violence against women? You should see all the brutal, savage violence against women from your own team on a site called Fetlife. All I can say is just, wow okay!

If you goad people by denying them their identity, you might piss them off. If you can't understand that, and you are trying to create another reality where you can say the most offensive shit about people (trans people are violent child molesters and rapists) and then act all affronted and victimized when they react, then you might be unfit for human company.

I personally use proper pronouns - which is determined by biological sex, not one's fantasy identity. I mean, some folks identify as Batman, rabbits, aliens and even Jesus Christ. So when folks ask me who is that person, should I say Batman? Jesus Christ? A rabbit? An alien? LOL, folks would call for the men in the white coats if I did that. Transgenderism really is no different. Transgenderism is also fantasy-driven and has no basis in reality. I really don't think it helpful or wise to humor and fuel ppl's delusions, porn fantasies, and misogyny - especially in a violent, woman-hating, rape culture, where a female is battered every 9 seconds, raped every minute, and murdered every 15 minutes by a male. If it were happening to any other group of ppl, we'd call it a holocaust.

That said, it is downright ridiculous for trans to demand that women be self-loathing and masochistic and participate in their own degradation, erasure, the stripping of their basic human rights, and their own demise. We have a word for that. It's called genocide. No, I will not participate, submit to, or help trans or anyone else to commit female genocide. Which is nothing less than an act of war.

Completely agree. Trans delusions are no different than any other delusions a person might hold.

Ironic that trans people gained legitimacy by resting under the gay and lesbian umbrella when they're now the very people dismantling it. What the hell does a person's mental issues have to do with sexual orientation anyway?

I have some kind of endocrine condition and was born with ambiguous genitalia. My parents tried and failed to get a diagnosis from several doctors when I was young. Do I need a karyotype test before you know which pronouns to use?

Homosexuality as an identity has existed for less than two centuries. Why is that an acceptable identity and not a fantasy?

There have always been people who have been aromatically and sexually attracted to the same sex, but no one said they were gay/lesbian/bi/whatever. And there have always been men who took on the roles women and there have always been women who took on the roles of men. Now these people have an identity, they can call themselves trans.

@10:58 because 'gays' don't suffer from dysphoria. I know, I know, you transtrenders like to disagree with the 'classic' transsexuals that dysphoria isn't a medical condition BUT your OWN people say it is as much as you genderhipsters would like to distant yourselves from them. And it surely is, as anyone without dysphoria will tell you (prob 99% of the population).

As I don't suffer from HOMOdysphoria, I don't run around screaming I'll kill myself and for straights to all die if a het doesn't mention my partner specifically at all times. Nor do I emotionally manipulate straights or try to shame them.

My het women-friends can say "hey my boyfriend and I went to the cinema" without me shouting "NOT ALL WOMEN HAVE BOYFRIENDS I'M GONE KILL MYSELF!!!" ARGGhhhhhhh straight people!!!! ArghhhhhDIEscumDIE!!!!!!!

This is the difference between LGB and T.

Sadly, because Trans* suffer from dysphoria, and don't know where the EQUALITY fight ENDS and their OWN DYSPHORIA begins, the rest of us have to put up with trans being upset-enough-to-self-harm if a woman mentions her ovaries or fails to neglect to remember AT ALL times that trans are in the world.

This is why noone likes Trans*, why it is easier to get on with a straight woman (I'm Les) than a Trans, why Trans* 'equality' is not like any other equality movement and why Gender Dysphoria is RIGHTLY classed as a mental illness.

"This is why noone likes Trans*, why it is easier to get on with a straight woman (I'm Les) than a Trans, why Trans* 'equality' is not like any other equality movement and why Gender Dysphoria is RIGHTLY classed as a mental illness."

I think you might be just an asshole. This has nothing to do with trans vs. lesbian. I have plenty of lesbian friends who don't walk around with such a deep burden of hatred to carry around. Ha! Have fun with that! Sounds to me like all the pain will over sooner rather than later....

Unlike trans, homosexuality is reality based. A man who romantically loves other men IS homosexual. A woman who romantically loves other women IS homosexual.

Trans people just FEEL like they're the opposite sex, but they're not. Even with multiple, expensive surgeries and hormones, one remains the same sex they were born as. Why should the whole of society be forced to go along with a person's false belief? And watch out if we don't, because that trans person may have a melt down. It's emotional blackmail.

Also, why does a particular role, or set of behaviors, have to belong to one particular sex? The only things that belong solely to one particular sex are biologically based. For example, only women are able to get pregnant. Ironically, these are the very differences trans people say don't matter and shouldn't be used for classification purposes.

I don't, as a lesbian ask for hets to look at me with my gf and FORCE THEM to call me hetero when I CLEARLY AM NOT.

NO EQUALITY movement before Trans have ever asked people to deny reality!

LGB: I'm a homo. Don't call me a het. I'm not one of those thanks. I like being a homo.

MtF Trans: I'm not a Trans really, I'm a woman just like you. I am a Trans though and I hate it! I want to be just like you!! It's hard being a Trans but don't call me a Trans because when you say I'm a Trans it makes me feel like I'm not a REAL WOMAN!!!! arghhh DIE CIS SCUM arggghhhhhh!!!!

The Trans movement is NOT comparable to any other equality movement in any way.

Nobody else is responsible for your gender dysphoria. I don't hate Trans at all, but NOBODY can win with you lot, because you have dysphoria!! When are you going to get it that WE DON"T HAVE DYSPHORIA!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK so say I'm trans -- and you don't believe I'm trans because you're all about reality, and there ain't no way we can prove this trans nonsense.

So you say you're homo -- what if I don't believe you're homo because there ain't no way we can prove this homo nonsense? I'm just going to treat you like your everyday average het, and ignore your pleas to have your identity respected.

How is it different? You cling to biological reality -- so fine, we have a male sex class and a female sex class. How do we conclusively prove your homosexuality beyond what you tell me?

Homosexuals kiss, hug, touch, have sex with, date, live with, and in some states, even marry their same sex partners. These things can be seen by any person with functioning eyes. These things are verifiable in reality.

A MTF says they're actually a woman, yet no one can see this woman. Where is his woman-self? She can not be verified objectively, because it's merely a feeling. It's his delusion.

Dictionary def of a Female (♀) is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova (egg cells).

Look really I don't care if you think you're a man or a woman. I genuinely think it must be a horrible condition that you have. But please separate your dysphoria and/or jealousy for the gender you wish to become, from your fight for 'rights'.

And do it quickly. All go off to an island and decide what is actually your dysphoria and what is actually transphobia, because you are not like any other equality movement.

In every other civil rights/identity rights movement, one reads about the subject matter, educates oneself and then agrees. EXCEPT Transgenderunicorns. I had no problem with Trans until I was told to educate myself. I did, Now I am Trans*-critical. The more you know, the less you want to know.

What can I say? I am for rights for every single minority and marginalised persons both more and less oppressed than myself. BUT it is JUST NOT POSSIBLE TO AGREE WITH TRANSDIALOGUE UNLESS ONE ALSO HAS DYSPHORIA!!!!

It makes no sense to people who don't have dysphoria!!!

Please separate your dysphoria from your equality fight. You are making a mockery of the whole Queer rights movement.

Trans people also kiss, hug, touch, have sex with, date, live with, and in some states, even marry their partners too. All that proves is that humans are capable of finding love with other humans.

Just because I see two women doing those things together is not proof of homosexuality. Yes I can see something with my own eyes, but there's no test, no way to find out with unrefutable data that those two women are actually and only attracted to other women beyond what they tell me and how I see them act. (See where I'm going?)

I agree with Anon that "dysphoria", the "trans narrative" and putting T in with LGB are all ridiculous.

I would like to know though what separates homosexuality and transexuality from each other. The former was a mental disorder until recently, and is equally unquantifiable. What makes it superior? That YOU are homosexual and cannot conceive of transsexual? Something else?

@5:03 "I would like to know though what separates homosexuality and transexuality from each other. The former was a mental disorder until recently, and is equally unquantifiable"

But we've already told you. The whole scientific view of reproduction with regards to plants, animals and humans is NOT going to change for Trans*.

Your getting into the nature of 'reality'. If one person sees a cheshire cat in front of them and three other people don't see the cat, that person has a mental illness.

This is why gender dysphoria is a mental illness. You are not DOING anything. You are just THINKING something and these thoughts are causing distress and are AT ODDS with, not just three other people who DO NOT SEE what you see, but THE WHOLE OF SOCIETY.

--

Homosexuality was a sexual ACT that people found distasteful. IT caused NO psychiatric harm to the person and no underlying unifying PSYCHOLOGICAL reason can be found for it. Their is no mind/body cognitive dissonance and the rest of the population 'sees' the same thing they see.

Transsexuality is NOT a sexual Act. It is a MENTAL STATE OF DISTRESS characterised by an insistance that one is born in the wrong body. It's unifying psychological motive is characterised by Gender Dysphoria. It DOES cause psychiatric harm known as dysphoria and this is currently treated by a psychiatrist. The mind and body are at odds with each and characteristic of a mental illness, they believe and 'see' something the rest of the population do not see.

Homosexuality was noted that the 'suffers' were fine and there was no problem with them mentally.

Transsexuality is not the same. It's because Trans* suffer from Gender Dysphoria. If Trans* don't suffer from dyshporia that cuases them to feel in the wrong body to the point of MENTAL DISTRESS UNLESS THEY CAN CHANGE. then THEY ARE NOT TRANS and should not be calling appropriating the Trans label and calling themselves Transgenderunicorns or whatever.

I will leave you with this link. It is really important I think, and from you're own community FULLY disputing what you are saying:

Corynn,"Trans" is concept which popped up just over 100 years ago in W. Europe. You can find evidence of Gay people all through history, sometimes with one partner cross-dressing for safety reasons (especially Lesbians),drag, etc.

I think every Gay person experiences some gender meloncholy when they first realize how different they are from mainstream society, and we know minorities in society have a desire for "normalisation". I think every "trans" person has 2 things in common: they are labile and have other problems as well. Why are there so many Lesbians turning Ftm and Gay men just stay Gay men? Because of power(and I think a lot of this is internalized stuff one only realizes later in life). Society tells us 2 women can't even have sex,so why would anyone want to be that?As for the pronouns, I guess the double (or sometimes triple) male names, which are so painstakingly chosen, are supposed to be helpfull cues that a woman wants to be called "he".Germany

"I would like to know though what separates homosexuality and transexuality from each other. The former was a mental disorder until recently, and is equally unquantifiable. What makes it superior? That YOU are homosexual and cannot conceive of transsexual? Something else?"

I can name and describe several things that separates homosexuality from transexuality, but properly doing so would take up too much space on this little blog. I would never say that one is superior or inferior to the other, but I see several ethical issues or concerns involved in "transitioning".

(1.) Historically, there have been periods in time in which sex reassignment surgery has been used as a form of social control, specifically the erasing of gay and lesbian identity. I'm not saying that this is always the case, but it has occurred. For example, the difference between homosexuality and transexuality can literally be the difference between life and death in Iran. According to wiki.answers, Iran is second to Thailand in the number of sex change operations which, as I understand it, are partially funded by the government. The government provides up to half the cost for those needing financial assistance, and a sex change is recognised on the birth certificate.

Ayatollah Khomeini approved the operations for "diagnosed transsexuals" 25 years ago and today the Iranian government pays up to 50% of the cost for those who have problems paying for it. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Which_country_has_the_highest_sex_change_surgery

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad skirted a question about the treatment of homosexuals in Iran on Monday, saying in a speech at a top US university that there were no gays in Iran. "In Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country," Ahmadinejad said to howls and boos among the Columbia University audience. "In Iran we do not have this phenomenon, I don't know who has told you that we have it," he said. 'No homosexuals in Iran': AhmadinejadAgence France-Presse, September 24, 2007

Iran enforces Islamic Sharia law, which dictates the death penalty for gay sex. Sexual acts between women, which are defined differently, are punished with lashes until the fourth offense, when they are also punished with death.According to several credible sources, gay men have been coereced into sex reassignment surgeries.

http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Persecution_of_Homosexuals_(Iran)

"A significant number of people who get a sex change in Iran are gay, as you cannot state in Iran that you are a man and want to be with another man, even if your appearance is feminine,"There are only a small percentage of people who get a sex-change operation who are actually transgendered. Out of some 100 transsexuals whom I've encountered," she reported, "only 20 of them were genuinely transgendered, and the rest are gay."

http://direland.typepad.com/direland/2007/05/change_sex_or_d.html

"Yet while the freedom to change sex might come as a relief to some, Eshaghian also draws attention to the pressure felt by gay men and women in Iran to have sexual reassignment surgeries as a means of legitimizing their sexual orientation. As gay individuals, they are committing a crime. As transsexuals, they can exist under Iranian law."

Gender theorist Afsaneh Najmabadi adds: “For legal and medical authorities, sex change surgeries are explicitly framed as the cure for a diseased abnormality, and on occasion they are proposed as a religioegally sanctioned option for heteronormalizing people with same-sex desires or practices.”

2.) Same sex erotic or sexual attraction is as old as human kind itself. The ancient Greeks didn't seem to have any problems with males being attracted to each other, and most people have heard about Sappho. This was 580 BC. Moreover, same sex erotic attraction has been observed in many species of primates. While it's true that there have been gender non-conforming people throughout history, on the extreme time line of human history, actual sex reassignment surgery, synthetically produced cross gender hormones, and puberty suppressing drugs for "gender dysphoria" are relatively new inventions and procedures. Some native tribes and cultures had two spirit people, but puberty suppressing drugs for "gender dysphoria" pre-teens and synthetic hormones were unheard of. Perhaps we need to fully understand all of this because, whether we want to admit it or not, there are some ethical questions involved in sterilizing children through puberty suppressing drugs, or chemically and surgically castrating gay men and lesbians through sex reassignment surgery.

The earliest identified recipient of male to female sex reassignment surgery was 'Rudolf (Dora-R).[15] "He took the first step towards changing his sex in 1921, when he had himself castrated, As a result his sexual instinct was enfeebled, but the homosexual tendency, as well as his own feelings, remained the same. This step, however, was not sufficient for him, and he tried to obtain a still greater degree of femininity in his sexual parts. Finally, in 1930, the operation which he himself had attempted at the age of six was performed upon him, that is, the removal of his penis, and six months afterwards the transformation was completed by the grafting of an artificial vagina. This was followed by Lili Elbe in Berlin during 1930-1931. She started with the removal of the male sex organs, the operation supervised by Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld. Lili went on to have four more subsequent operations that included an unsuccessful uterine transplant, the rejection of which resulted in death.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_reassignment_surgery

(3.) Being gay or lesbian doesn't involve the surgical alteration of one's genitals, cutting away healthy tissue, erasing one's gender, drastically altering one's reproductive system, and a life time of cross gender hormones. (4.) As long as Homo sapiens have walked upon the earth, adolescence has been a normal stage of human development. Well, transgender has turned this on its head. The use of puberty suppressing drugs for "gender dysphoric" teenagers is, in my opinion, ripe for abuse and mostly experimental. This practice is not without its critics.

Stop claiming trans people were actually gay. Cross-dressing is NOT a sexuality. For centuries men have been able to have sex with men without fear of reprisals because "gay" wasn't even an identity. Cross-dressing and cross-gender identifying isn't forced behavior, it is part of human behavior and human experience. Period. READ A FUCKING BOOK!

"I would like to know though what separates homosexuality and transexuality from each other. The former was a mental disorder until recently, and is equally unquantifiable. What makes it superior? That YOU are homosexual and cannot conceive of transsexual? Something else?"

Same-sex sexual behavior is seen in primates and many species. Humans are nothing more than primates. There is only about a 1.2 percent genetic difference between modern humans and chimpanzees throughout much of their genetic code. How can transexuality be described in other primates when common sense tells us that primates and mammals can't change their sex? It can't happen. Hermaphroditic plants have both pistils (female sex organs) and stamens (male sex organs) in a single flower. Such animals as flatworms and certain species of segmented worms, mollusks, crustaceans, and fish are hermaphroditic; each individual can produce both eggs and sperm. Flatworms and mollusks aren't primates or mammals. In humans, intersex (once called hermaphrodite) is an extremely rare sex anomaly. As I understand it, the vast majority of MTF transsexuals are genetic males who wouldn't fall under the category of intersex, and the vast majority of FTM are biological females. These are people who say they are trapped in the wrong body, and so they feel the urge to surgically alter their sex. This is not seen in our closest relatives other primates.

A 1999 review by researcher Bruce Bagemihl shows that homosexual behavior has been observed in close to 1,500 species, ranging from primates to gut worms, and is well documented for 500 of them. Animal sexual behaviour takes many different forms, even within the same species. The motivations for and implications of these behaviors have yet to be fully understood, since most species have yet to be fully studied. According to Bagemihl, "the animal kingdom [does] it with much greater sexual diversity – including homosexual, bisexual and nonreproductive sex – than the scientific community and society at large have previously been willing to accept." Current research indicates that various forms of same-sex sexual behavior are found throughout the animal kingdom. A new review made in 2009 of existing research showed that same-sex behavior is a nearly universal phenomenon in the animal kingdom, common across species. Homosexual behavior is best known from social species.

The Bonobo, which has a matriarchal society, unusual amongst apes, is a fully bisexual species—both males and females engage in heterosexual and homosexual behavior, being noted for female-female homosexuality in particular. Roughly 60% of all bonobo sexual activity occurs between two or more females. While the homosexual bonding system in Bonobos represents the highest frequency of homosexuality known in any species, homosexuality has been reported for all great apes (a group which includes humans), as well as a number of other primate species.

"I would like to know though what separates homosexuality and transexuality from each other. The former was a mental disorder until recently, and is equally unquantifiable. What makes it superior? That YOU are homosexual and cannot conceive of transsexual? Something else?"

Since it's as old as human kind itself, same sex erotic attraction is far from being unquantifiable. While persecuted throughout many cultures, homosexuals have endured horrendous discrimination. They still endure and can't be completely erased. Again, I'm not saying that homosexuality is superior or inferior to transexuality. However, there are some ethical issues that concern me, specifically regarding "transitioning" (a life time regimen of hormones, surgery on healthy genitals and breasts), and the use of puberty suppressing drugs on childre. By raising these issues, I hope to point out a few things that seems to separate homosexuality and transexuality from each other.

Besides the ethical issues involved in the state sponsored castration of gay men that has been observed in Iran, there are serious ethical issues raised by sterilizing children through puberty suppressing drugs. While puberty suppressing drugs have been around for some time, they are usually prescribed for precocious or early puberty. That is, when puberty doesn't normally start. Despite the fact that they are given to children with "gender identity disorder", I don't believe that giving puberty suppressing drugs for "gender dyshphoria" is approved by the FDA for this purpose. It's believed that going through puberty will be emotionally traumatic for children with "gender identity disorder". Gender nonconforming little girls aren't allowed to develop breasts, and effeminate boys don't develop male characteristics. If cross gender hormones are given right after puberty suppressing drugs, there is an issue of future fertility being compromised. Whether they admit it or not, puberty suppressing drugs have an advantage in that normal development is delayed, thus making it easier to surgically "transition" later. That is, instead of surgically lopping off healthy breasts, prevent breasts from developing in the first place. Puberty suppressing drugs can be discontinued and normal adolescence will return, but how many children are kept on these drugs, and for how long? Apparently, the latest trans talking point is "buying time". That is, suppressing normal adolescent development gives these gender nonconforming children time to decide what they want. How much time are we talking about? Is it six months, a year, five years, or ten years? (1.) This assumes that the time is the same for all children. (2.) It also assumes that these children are completely free from parental influence which we know can never be completely true all the time. (3.) The prefrontal cortex of the brain isn't fully developed until the early twenties. This is the judgment center of the brain. Do these children even understand what is happening to them? I seriously doubt it, but we are supposed to go along with the latest trans talking points otherwise we're branded transphobic. When my best friend's daughter went through puberty, she became a rebellious hellion. Perhaps we should be be giving puberty suppressing drugs to all teenagers.

I would love to take the time to answer this question. As I pointed out in an earlier post, state sponsored castration of gay men is well documented in Iran. Perhaps some were really transgendered and could benefit from sex reassigment surgery, but how many gay men were coerced into sex reassignment surgery? After all, homosexuality is punishable by death. However, the Iranian government will help pay for sex reassignment surgery. In this way, they appear as happy heterosexual couples. Instead of a man being attracted to a man, he is now a she, and this appears to be the way Iran fixes its homosexual problem. The outward appearance of homosexuality is simply not tolerated. Indeed, it's a death sentence for gays and lesbians. The erasing of gay and lesbian identity through sex reassignment surgery is another issue that no one wants to touch.

What do we know about little gender non-conforming children? Most knowledgeable people know that gender identity is not the same thing as sexual orientation. However, this is only partially correct, and it is far more complex than this. Scientists and researches have known for some time that many little sissy boys and tomboy girls do, indeed, grow up to be gay men and lesbians. That is, unless they are chemically and surgically castrated. Because it's so nightmarish and frightening, no one wants to face the ugly truth. In order to identify and the help the few "gender dysphoric" kids who actually do decide to transition upon reaching adulthood, a whole generation of future gay and lesbian children are being chemically and surgically castrated.

According to http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18981931,

"Most children with gender dysphoria will not remain gender dysphoric after puberty. Children with persistent GID are characterized by more extreme gender dysphoria in childhood than children with desisting gender dysphoria. With regard to sexual orientation, the most likely outcome of childhood GID is homosexuality or bisexuality."

An article in the Atlantic states,The most extensive study on transgender boys was published in 1987 as The “Sissy Boy Syndrome” and the Development of Homosexuality. For 15 years, Dr. Richard Green followed 44 boys who exhibited extreme feminine behaviors, and a control group of boys who did not... Green expected most of the boys in the study to end up as transsexuals, but nothing like that happened. Three-fourths of the 44 boys turned out to be gay or bisexual (Green says a few more have since contacted him and told him they too were gay). Only one became a transsexual. “We can’t tell a pre-gay from a pre-transsexual at 8,” says Green, who recently retired from running the adult gender-identity clinic in England. “

A science daily article says,"Research which follows these children to adulthood shows that between 50 to 80 per cent of gender nonconforming boys become gay, and about one third of such girls become lesbian"

Children are being diagnosed with "gender identity disorder" at much earlier ages compared to twenty years ago. Some of these kids are as young as five years of age. With puberty suppressing drugs, the transitioning can start even before puberty. If we are going to slap labels of "gender dysphoria" on five, six, or seven year old children, put them on puberty blockers followed by cross gender hormones, how many future gay men and lesbians are we willing to surgically and chemically castrate? Why not just come out and say it because it does appear that this could be the reality in many cases.

Since this blog tries to focus on FTM (female to male) "transitioning", I would like the opportunity to pose some ethical issue that deeply concerns me as a female. As to FTMs or transmen, what if we are wrong? If we are wrong, isn't this just the mutilation of female bodies? Historically, the mutilation of female bodies in one form or another isn't anything new or revolutionary.

Trans activists toss the word "transition" around as if it has magical properties. The word "transition" hides or cloaks the blood, surgeon's scalpel, multiple surgeries, and a life time of cross gender hormones. No wonder they prefer the word "transition" instead of the words surgery and chemical/surgical sterilization. The mutilation of female genitals in one manner or another has a very long history. The history of surgically scraping away female genitals and female identity has been brutal.

As to "transitioning" in general doesn't it assume all the following:

(1.) No woman will ever live to regret having painful multiple surgeries to surgically scrape away every inch of her female identity. (2.) Culture, family,or peer pressure play no role whatsoever in the surgical alteration of female bodies and genitals. (3.) Internalized misogyny plays no role whatsoever in FTM transitioning. How can we clearly distinguish between "gender dysphoria" and internalized misogyny when some trans men themselves freely admit that they rather enjoy some measure of male privilege. (4.) All humans are capable of making rational decisions, and are fully aware of all the risks associated with any decision. (5.) All surgeons come highly qualified and are equally skilled.

(1.) In FTM "transitioning", a surgeon takes a scalpel and removes both health breasts. It's not a simple procedure to turn female breasts into a male chest, and it comes with pain and scarring. This is major surgery, and occasionally people die in surgery. Why do females even have breasts? Why not simply surgically lop off the breasts of all females? Human females like all primates have breasts. Breasts can be erotic, and they are the best food for babies. Contrary to what some think, they do serve a purpose.

(2.) In order to maintain a masculine appearance, testosterone has to be taken for life. If a transman still has his ovaries and uterus there is an issue of long term testosterone use and PCOS. Besides PCOS, elevated liver levels, lipid levels, and other health problems might occur.

(3.) Because of PCOS, some physicians recommend removal of ovaries and uterus within five year of starting testosterone. Hysterectomies are major surgery, and not all insurance will cover this for "gender dysphoria".

(4.) I saved phalloplasty for last because it requires multiple surgeries to the female genitals, skin grafts, and is painful by any standard.

"It is important to note that most phalloplasty procedures require multiple surgical visits as well as some revisions. The procedures can involve pain and discomfort, require significant recovery time, and often leave large areas of visible scarring. Because of the nature of using skin grafts, there is always a risk of tissue death and loss of part or all of the penis. Other potential complications include the extrusion of testicular or penile implants, the formation of a stricture (an abnormal narrowing; blockage) or fistula (an abnormal connection; leakage) in the newly constructed urethral passage, and infection. There may also be damage to the nerves of the donor area, resulting in numbness or loss of function. Erotic sensation may be changed or diminished. And the results may not be as aesthetically pleasing as one might like them to be. Also, one must consider the usual risks of any surgery, including bleeding, infection, problems from anesthesia, blood clots, or death (rare).Phalloplasty procedures also tend to be very expensive (between $50,000 to $150,000) and are often not covered by insurance.”

Question: Are five year old biological girls really transgender? Do they even understand what gender is, and how is this influenced by parental and cultural factors. Sorry, but I do have problems with five year old girls being slapped with a label of "transgender", and already being addressed as "he" or "him" by their parents. This is a Washington Post article about a five year old "transgender" female child.

Because she didn't play with her sister's tinker bell doll, this five year old girl is being called "he" by her parents. Doesn't this just re-enforce "gender identity disorder"? Also, I have a hard time believing that seven year old children really understand what sex change surgery means. I find it difficult to believe that such young children can grasp the concept of sex change surgery.

"Chris started last year as “Grace” and “she”. I had thoughts over the years that he may be transgender as he always dressed in boys clothes and “acted” like a boy. BUT I as most people figured he was just a “tomboy.” I really thought thought that he might be transgender when at around 7 years old. He said “Mom, I am supposed to be a boy would you care if I had sex change surgery when I was older?” "

http://www.transkidspurplerainbow.org/transyouth-stories/meet-chris/

Biological females are talking about having their breasts removed before they develop breasts. How in holy hell can we say that seven year old females fully understand what sex change surgery means?

What exactly is gender identity disorder? Whether we want to admit it or not, this diagnosis is not an exact science. Is this something we can quantify? Twenty different therapists or psychiatrists might twenty have different answers. Culture plays a major role in gender identity, and to state that the diagnosis of gender identity in five year old children isn't problematic flies in the face of common sense and logic.

Do we know what goes on in the mind of a five year old biological female who is already being called "he" by her parents? Doesn't transgender just re-enforce stereotypical sex roles of what is considered appropriate femininity and masculinity. For example, because she didn't play with her sister's tinker bell doll, he mother says she is transgender, and even refers to her as "he" or "him". So, it does appear that in many cases, transgender just props up traditional sex roles and stereotypes, and at the same time proclaims that it's something new and revolutionary. Moreover, how can it be possible in such young children to clearly distinguish between "gender identity disorder" and parental uneasiness and disgust at having a little sissy boy (think future fag) or a tomboy (think dyke lesbian).

(1.) If it's clear that we have a little genetic female child born a girl child not intersex, doesn't it just re-enforce "gender identity disorder" when parents already call this five or six year old female child called "he"?(2.) While there might be children who do suffer from "gender identity disorder", is it possible that this diagnosis is often overused or inappropriately placed on young children?(3.)Could this diagnosis be culturally influenced and shaped by family beliefs and views? How can we completely separate culture from this diagnosis? It's not possible. Moreover, how is it possible, especially in small children, to distinguish between "gender identity disorder" and parental views, shame, or disgust at having an effeminate boy or tomboy girl. At such an early age, how can we clearly distinguish between parental views of what is proper behavior and actual "gender identity disorder"? I don't care what anyone says, the diagnosis of "gender identity disorder" in five year old children is so problematic that it actually frightens me. When seven year old girls are already talking about sex change surgery, it is so Orwellian that I shudder. (4.) Unlike xrays, MRIs, blood tests etc., is "gender identity disorder" something that we can pick up and examine? Can it be quantified? (5.) Doesn't "transitioning" involve puberty suppressing drugs, cross gender hormones, and surgery? Since when has surgery become completely safe, or when have drugs been completely safe? (6.) As to "transitioning" (puberty suppressing drugs, cross gender hormones, surgery), can we say with all certainty that no one lives to regret "transitioning"?(7.) Does psychiatry have a stellar, flawless human rights record? Examine the entire historical record. From lobotomies to the forced institutionalization of gay men, lesbians, and political dissidents, psychiatry's checkered past is littered with some rather bazaar and horrific "cures" that people at a specific period in time were convinced worked. Because it's subjective, when we sit down and think about it, psychiatry could be more wide open for abuse than other medical specialties. (8.)When I was five years old, I played with toy trucks, wore boy clothes, and climbed trees. In many respects, I was no different than the five year old "transgender" girl in the Washington Post video, or any of the little biological trans females at Trans Kids Purple Rainbow. My parents called me a tomboy, but never called me "he". So, here is my question. Was I a tomboy, or did I suffer from "gender identity disorder". Because my parents didn't drag me to a therapist or psychiatrist, were they negligent parents? In all honesty, thinking back to my childhood, I didn't feel as if I had a mental condition or psychiatric diagnosis. I didn't like playing with dolls.

Since this particular post is about pro nouns, it breaks my heart when I read stories from the Washington Post about the "transgender" five year old girl who is already being called "he" by her parents. This is a biological female child, born as a female child. She is not intersex. I've always believed that "gender identity disorder" in such young children is problematic for several reasons, but it goes deeper than this. Because she didn't play with her sister's doll, her parents are calling her "he". Listen carefully to the Washington Post video. Can't erasing female identity itself be considered an ethical issue of prfound importance. Well, some might say she really is transgender, or perhaps she isn't. This is a five year old girl, and I don't think she even understands what gender is. This is also happening at Trans Kids Purple Rainbow.

Corynn,You've got to be kidding. As the only woman on a construction site with about 10 men, I can just imagine their perplexed looks if I were to do a pronoun double-check (just in case I've been hurting anyone's feelings this whole time,)and asked each one which pronouns he prefers. Just wondering: what's more offensive to an Ftm: "she" or "it"? Germany

The last time I talked to someone, I was pretty sure I talked to them in the first person, and not the third. He/she/him/her have no place in face-to-face conversation. I've actually been handed a CARD that says: "Hello, I'm such and such and my preferred pronouns are..."

I don't give two shits what your "preferred" pronouns are. Maybe you think you're a pony and you want to talk about your mane instead of your hair. Good for you, to me it's still hair.

I'm not going to go out of my way to upset someone, but if I happen to use the "wrong" words, toughen up. I'm going to use whatever words describe what I see, and if you look like a dude in a skirt or a woman with a ridiculous fake penis in her pants, it's not my responsibility to make sure that you're comfortable -- that's on you. If you happen to look like whatever gender you're presenting as, chances are I'll be none the wiser and bully for you.

"Don't be silly now....who said trans shouldn't be allowed to have a relationship?

If you're going to make a feeble attempt at an analogy, at least try and use a little logic eh?"

Don't you be silly. My post wasn't about relationships, it was about legitimacy. Specifically, gay people claiming their identities to be more legitimate than transpeople. People may have been fucking each other willy-nilly, regardless of sex for many thousands of years, but I can assure you that "gay" as a LIFESTYLE, did not crop up until the last hundred years or so. So when you go around shouting about how oppressed you are as GAY people, remember that this identity has only been afforded you by the society around you. You literally would not have been able to conceive of yourself as gay, despite perhaps having same sex desires, if you were born two centuries earlier. It wasn't a thing. It would have been like saying, " I'm a Purple". Wtf? I'm also pretty sure that you, born two centuries ago, would have ended up with a man in some way. But your culture has afforded you the ability to scorn that life, which many have accepted over thousands of years despite their desires. That's a fucking luxury. Don't tell me you would have been that brave girl in that Sarah Waters book. Bullshit.

And yes, people have been going around for thousands of years cross-dressing or cross-gender living in way that had NOTHING TO DO WITH SEX. Trans is the new word for it, and we now have access to hormones and surgery, which many will avail themselves of.

You are just trying to gatekeep for the straight world. You are not mindful of the process we are all a part of in the larger culture. You are afraid accepting transness will be a detriment to gayness somehow but you are wrong. You want to be the last little group that slips under before they close the gate. It's not going to work.

^^^@2:51 oh sweetie you should look up MOLL CUTPURSE on wiki, a female 17th century cross-dressing English underworld criminal. They wrote a play about her called 'The Roaring Girl'. Also learn a bit about LGBT history while you're there eh? Maybe you could start with Ancient Greece and gay men trolololol!!!! Do you just come on here to spout nonsense?

@Corynn you seem nice enough but Trans need to separate their dysphoria from their equality rights. Lesbians didn't go into feminist spaces and insist that they couldn't talk about penis/reproduction or their husbands/bf's. We didn't emotionally blackmail them by having HOMOdysphoria that any mention of Hetlife would 'trigger' us. They would have told us to leave!! It's about crossing boundries. No TRANS has the right to start telling women that they cannot talk about wombs/ovaries/whatever because it 'triggers' them. If it triggers you then LEAVE!!!! NOBODY should be responsible for your dysphoria!!!!! ALL women should be able to talk about their OWN experiences!!! BOUNDARIES TRANSPEOPLE! BOUNDARIES!!

Um, you aren't even listening to what I'm saying "sweetie". Of course gay SEX existed, but "gay" as an identity was not given any kind of respect. Ancient Greek men might fuck little boy slaves, but that did not keep them from having straight families as well. Gay as some kind of widespread political *identity* did not exist until recently. I think it may be because sexuality was never accepted to be a large enough part of a person's identity to warrant a group forming. And it's only because you are hoist on that petard that you feel you can attack transpeople, when you should feel lucky to be alive in this time and culture. I know I do. I've read plenty of history, thanks. There's a large part of trans history that's been co-opted as being gay. Cross-dressing is about gender-not about where you stick your fingers or dick.

I'm seeing a lot of comments on this blog about trans equality rights and I have a question to those who hold the conviction that trans people are mentally ill. Do you believe that mentally ill people should not have equal rights either regardless of what that illness is?

A gender non-conforming individual does NOT a Trans make. It is the crippling dysphoria that gives a diagnosis of Trans.

If for instance Dirt (who keeps being told by Trans she is Trans) HAS NO dysphoria, does not start trying to hack off her breasts etc... then Trans need to stop telling her she is Trans. She obviously has NO GID at all. If FTM are doing this online then they are doing offline and it needs to stop straight away. Medical Transition is not some cool hipster thing to do. It's a horrific procedure with horrific mental distress to boot.

Let's be reasonable, shall we? If you are not beyond reason, that is. I don't think transpeople run around telling others they are trans ALL the time. I know that in my community it is *very* poorly looked upon to do so. I have not even heard of it happening once where I live, but I suppose it is statistically probable. But, even when I have been approached by apparent butches who are in the middle of an identity crisis, I refrain from speaking to anyone's experience but my own-and I do that only when pushed. Anyway, it's not fucking easy to walk around being a trigger for other people's pain. Especially when it's repressed pain. That is the very reason why repressed homosexuals are often the most violent towards gays. That shit is fucking scary.

So....when Dirt pops up and floats all these incredibly damaging lies about how transmen are child molesters, rapists, that our partners are child molesters, and that we are violent in general....you gotta wonder exactly what's going on with her. Mentally. Because celebrating women and butches and gender-nonconformity has ZERO to do with lies about and hatred towards transmen. It's almost like she's drawing us a map of her insecurities, as some of the other hateful commenters here also do. Blog posts about celebrating butchness would actually do so much more to create space for women to choose not to transition. Let's face it-transition happens. It's "out there" already. The train has left the station.Now people actually have the choice to identify their *own* gender. That's viewed as progress, like it or not. Agree with it or not. People generally want MORE freedom not less. And they need *good* role models. Coming to this website, it sure does seem to any intuitive person, that Dirt's cause must *not* be very good or strong or just. She would not have to rely on the FUCKING crazy accusations she makes if transmen were actually all that bad or misguided or whatever. We are not. We are not *anything* together, except trans. This shit is steeped in anger and I believe it has caused some obsessive/paranoid behavior in Dirt. I could see the rational response being, " Oh Dirt is a repressed transman." Personally, I'm glad not to count her amongst our numbers. But I don't think she's doing your team any favors either. A couple of dykes may have come here to confirm their pre-existing hatred and judgement of transmen, but that only displays their intrinsic nastiness. What butches and gender-nonconforming females really need, I believe, are role models who rise above. Dirt makes it appear to the world that butches are threatened by transmen. I know that's not true for butches everywhere. They still need support, celebration, confirmation, love, tenderness, and acceptance. Think you can teach love using hate? That sure does seem like trying to dismantle the master's house with the masters's tools to me.